A place to share our latest 4H experiences in order to promote and energize the experience for my family and yours.

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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Somethinng's a Little Fishy

We took some time to review our fish species for the contest today. Did you ever wonder why we were told not to say "fishes" in school? Come to find out that it is perfectly acceptable as long as you are talking about more than one species. So we have 10 bluegill fish, but there are 27 species of fishes in Texas. Very interesting!

Thankfully we only need to know two of those species of fishes!

Bluegill
General information
The bluegill is one of the most abundant bream species. It thrives in a variety of conditions, ranging from freshwater lakes, ponds and slow moving streams, to brackish waters of coastal areas. The bluegill’s native range is the eastern U.S. from southern Canada to Florida and Texas, but they have been successfully introduced throughout the U.S.

Habitat requirements
Diet: a variety of zooplankton (microscopic animal life) during the first few months of life, progressing to insects and their larvae, eggs, earthworms, tadpoles, small minnows and crayfish
Cover: submerged rocks, woody debris and aquatic vegetation where small fish (used for food) hide
Water: basic requirements include dissolved oxygen (minimum of four parts per million); pH between 6.5 and 9.0; and water temperature should reach at least 70 F during the summer (one foot below surface in the shade)

Largemouth Bass
General information
Largemouth bass are not really bass but members of the sunfish family. Largemouth bass are an extremely popular freshwater sport fish in states where they are found. They can be found in freshwater lakes, rivers, large streams, farm ponds and brackish marshes.

Habitat requirements
Diet: young bass eat insects and other invertebrates (worms, crayfish and zooplankton); adults eat small fish such as bluegill and a variety of minnows, as well as tadpoles, crayfish and even ducklings
Cover: submerged rocks, woody debris and near aquatic vegetation where small fish (prey) hide
Water: basic requirements include dissolved oxygen (minimum of four parts per million); pH should range between 6.5 and 9.0; water temperature should reach at least 70 F during summer (one foot below surface in shade)

Wildlife management practices

Decrease Harvest: refer to wildlife management practices for specifics on fish harvest
Increase Harvest: refer to wildlife management practices for specifics on fish harvest
Manage disturbance: grazing management should maintain thick herbaceous vegetation surrounding the pond and in the watershed that drains into the pond; livestock watering facilities should be developed away from pond or allow access to only a small part of the pond
Ponds: Construction: where no suitable water source is present and/or where an existing pond needs extensive repair, especially to the dike or dam, including significant tree removal on the dike or dam
Ponds: Deepen Edges: where pond edges are not at least 2 feet deep to discourage rooted aquatic vegetation
Ponds: Fertilize/Lime: fertilize to promote phytoplankton growth when visibility is more than 18 inches below the water surface; add agricultural limestone to increase soil pH if total alkalinity is below 20 ppm
Ponds: Reduce Turbidity/Reseed Watershed: by reseeding the watershed where soil is eroding into the pond and causing muddy water
Ponds: Repair Spillway/Levee: if not functioning properly
Ponds: Restock: if the population is too far out of balance to correct via seining or fishing or if undesirable species are present
Water Control Structures: should be installed if none are present so water depth can be controlled

We also learned about pond dynamics and balance. I found a good understanding of the various factors that effect this balance. It is from an Illinois source but still helpful.